


Humor Me

by floraltohru



Series: Embrace By Proxy [1]
Category: Fruits Basket, Fruits Basket (Anime 2001), Fruits Basket (Anime 2019), Fruits Basket - Takaya Natsuki (Manga)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Hugs, Light Angst, M/M, so Tohru finds a curse loophole, the boys need a hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-04-11
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:35:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23589259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/floraltohru/pseuds/floraltohru
Summary: Kyo needs a hug, Yuki needs a hug, and Tohru comes up with a plan.
Relationships: Honda Tohru & Sohma Kyou, Honda Tohru/Sohma Kyou, Honda Tohru/Sohma Kyou/Sohma Yuki, Honda Tohru/Sohma Yuki, Sohma Kyou/Sohma Yuki
Series: Embrace By Proxy [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1706155
Comments: 14
Kudos: 173





	Humor Me

**Author's Note:**

> Mostly Kyo x Tohru, but Kyo x Tohru x Yuki and Yuki x Tohru if you squint. 
> 
> Set between seasons one and two (or shortly after season two, episode one!)

If someone had told Kyo a year ago that he’d be in this position, he would have laughed. Or punched them in the face. It’s anybody’s guess, really. There are a lot of things about his life now that Kyo wouldn’t have believed a year ago. He’s got a home he doesn’t hate coming home to, even if it also belongs to Shigure and Yuki. He’s got friends at school, guys his age who seem to think he’s cool enough, and Hana and Uo who tolerate him as long as he takes care of Tohru. And Tohru. She’s stronger than anyone he’s ever met. And stronger still because she’s been through so much and still maintains her kindness, still cares more about every other person around her - even the ones who have hurt her - than she does about herself. 

He’s hopeless. And maybe in love, but he’s trying not to think about that. Yeah, no, he’s definitely hopelessly in love - with her. 

But right now he’s fighting against every cell in his body, hair on end and ears pressed back, his feline instincts urging him to run away. 

“You think we should what?”

Tohru made dinner and Shigure left for the main estate hours ago, so now it’s just the three of them and their udon bowls. They started simply enough, trading anecdotes about their days - Kyo’s session at the dojo, Yuki’s meeting with the student council, and Tohru’s outing with Hana and Uo.

But it’s hours later now, the empty bowls still rest in front of them, and they’re untangling their trauma, unpacking their respective baggage. Tohru’s cheeks are damp - as much for their grief as for hers - and Kyo and Yuki have taken turns wiping away her tears. 

“I just wish,” she says, and pauses to take a shuddering breath, “that I could do more to help.” 

At this they both interject with their disagreement, and she doesn’t argue. “I know… But I - when I was feeling sad, Mom would hug me and not let go until I felt better. It always worked. I just wish I could do that for you.”

Kyo tentatively takes her hand, lacing their fingers together under the table. When he gives her a light squeeze, she returns the favor. Yuki takes her other hand, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles.

“You make us feel better anyway,” Kyo says. 

“Our home is happier with you in it,” Yuki tells her. 

She nods. “Thank you both.” 

There’s a short-lived moment of calm before Tohru drops both their hands and scrambles to her feet. “I have an idea!”

Kyo winces. He loves her. He is in love with her. But he’s grown accustomed to bracing for the worst whenever she makes that announcement with such (adorable) resolve.

“Alright?” Yuki prompts. 

“You two should hug each other!” 

“You think we should what?” 

Their twin looks of panic register, and Tohru laughs nervously. She sinks back to the floor, a blush creeping up her neck and into her cheeks. “Or not. You don’t have to. It’s just an idea.” 

Kyo definitely loves her. He loves her - he has to - or he wouldn’t blurt out, “It’s a great idea.” 

The words tumble out on their own despite the fact that he and Yuki haven’t had more physical contact than a tense handshake since - well, ever. Despite the fact that he’d rather endure a beating from Kagura than lay a hand on Yuki outside of a punch. Despite the fact that his whole being is telling him to run for the mountains.

“Yes,” Yuki agrees, his tone measured and precise. “That’s a great idea..” 

Kyo shoots to his feet, his arms instinctively crossing over his chest. Tohru bolts up, her fuse lit, and offers a hand to Yuki, who accepts graciously like the prince he is. Once he’s standing, Kyo turns to face Yuki, but neither of them move to close the distance. 

“Oh, come on,” Kyo grumbles. He steps forward, yanking Yuko to his chest. “Let’s get this over with.” 

“Um,” Tohru says. “Yuki?”

“Yes?” he replies, his tone akin to someone trying not to make any sudden movements, because he’s trying not to make any sudden movements. 

“You need to move your arms.” She takes one of his hands and positions it on Kyo’s back. “There you go. Don’t forget, hugging is a two person activity! That’s what Mom always said. And, um, Kyo?”

“Hmm?”

“You can relax. Yuki doesn’t bite, you know.” She giggles softly and reaches out to squeeze his shoulder, and Kyo really hopes Yuki can’t feel the way his heart speeds up at the touch. 

Tohru frowns. “It’s supposed to make you feel better, not worse. You can stop if it’s not working.” 

“No.” Kyo tightens his grip, even goes so far as to rest his forehead on Yuki’s shoulder - partially so no one can see him blushing. “I’m starting to feel better,” he says through gritted teeth.

“Yes,” Yuki agrees. “This is nice.” 

They stand like that for a moment, neither one daring to make a move. Finally, Tohru ruffles their hair. “You don’t have to keep hugging if you don’t want to,” she murmurs.

They break apart gently, Kyo still blushing, and Yuki reaches down to pick up their dishes. “Here, let me help you.” Yuki blinks as Kyo takes a plate and a bowl from the top of his stack. “What, don’t think I can help out, you damn rat?” he grumbles, but his words are devoid of their usual malice. 

He perches against the counter while Yuki and Tohru clean up the dishes, laughing along with the two of them when Tohru accidentally splashes herself with dishwater. Kyo climbs the stairs to his room without so much as a snide comment, and if he feels a little lighter when he goes to bed that evening, well, no one needs to know. 

The thunderstorm ambushed them on the way home from school, the weather shifting from blue skies to stormclouds in a matter of seconds. Now, Kyo slumps over the table with his chin in his hands, a headache starting to take root behind his eyes. He hears Tohru sigh from the kitchen, and he tries to muster up the stamina to ask her what’s wrong.

Tohru nearly drops her pot and ladle when Yuki throws the door open and stomps in, sopping wet. “Y-yuki! You scared me! Is everything alright?” she asks as he removes his shoes. 

He sighs, running a hand through his hair and scattering more water droplets on the floor. “The secret base is fine, but I’m worried about the tomatoes,” he murmurs. “I don’t know if they’ll stay standing in this wind, even with the supports we added last week…” 

“Don’t care about your tomatoes… damn rat,” Kyo murmurs, but with a migraine brewing, his words come out watery and half-hearted. 

Kyo’s slouch deepens as he prepares for the inevitable - a swift kick, a quick uppercut? He doesn’t have the energy for fighting. Why couldn’t he have just kept his mouth shut? 

Yuki looms over him and Kyo braces for impact, but it doesn’t come. Instead, before he can even process what’s happening, Yuki grabs Kyo by the wrist, pulling him off the floor and in for a hug. 

“Do it for her,” Yuki hisses through gritted teeth, tightening his grip so Kyo can’t escape. And - damn it - he’s even stronger than Kyo remembers. 

Kyo stands there for a moment, his arms pinned and hanging limply at his side, before he remembers that it actually takes two to hug, and he brings them up to awkwardly circle around Yuki’s waist. He tries to relax into it, remembers that a hug is supposed to make him feel better. He lets out a pent-up breath and wills himself to release the tension in his shoulders. He feels Yuki slacken just marginally, his weight almost comfortable against Kyo and hey - maybe this isn’t the worst thing that’s ever happened to him after all. 

His cheeks burn when he hears a quiet, elated gasp from the direction of the kitchen. “You guys are hugging.” Tohru tries - she really, bless her heart, tries - not to squeal. She squeals, just a little bit. 

The moment shatters when Shigure throws his door open and flings his arm around the two of them, crooning something about his boys finally learning to express their tender, masculine affection. 

When Kyo ducks out of Shigure’s embrace at last, he finds Tohru watching them in amused bewilderment, still holding the soup ladle. He’s happy - but. It hurts all over again, remembering that he’s never going to be able to hold her in his arms, remembering that all of this is only temporary. He tries not to think about it, but he does, inevitably, worries at it like a loose tooth, and it stings. Every nerve in his body sparks every time they touch, and he wants nothing more than to scoop her up in his arms and never let go. 

But for now, seeing the way her smile lights up every corner of the kitchen as she turns back to stir the soup, this might just be enough.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I'm @floraltohru on tumblr if you want to cry about Fruits Basket in my askbox!

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [blood pressure rising fast, air electric](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24563893) by [SapphireOcean (JujYFru1T)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/JujYFru1T/pseuds/SapphireOcean)




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